Voters overwhelmingly override Farmington Schools Headlee rollback

More than 70 percent of Farmington Public Schools voters on Tuesday restored a .1548 mill Headlee rollback and gave officials a 1 mill hedge against future reductions.

“We are so thankful for the support given by our community today and every day,” Superintendent Dr. George C. Heitsch said in a statement released Tuesday night. “We look forward to continuing our partnership working together for the betterment of students and families in Farmington Public Schools.”

Headlee limits local millages to the amount they were originally designed to collect. According to a Michigan State Extension fact sheet, if the taxing unit’s overall property valuation rises at a higher rate than the cost of living, “the maximum property tax millage must be reduced so that the local unit’s total taxable property yields the same gross revenue, adjusted for inflation.”

The reduction would have cost the district $170,000 this year, with the loss compounding annually, Supt. Dr. George Heitsch said last month.

The restoration only affects business and other non-homestead property owners, like those who own vacant land or a second home.